This invention relates to an image display device which displays images photographed by an apparatus such as a digital camera, and especially relates to an art for retrieving and looking through images.
Hitherto, there has been known an image database in which data of images photographed by the apparatus such as a digital camera are recorded in an image-recording medium, and a retrieval system thereof. The image database of this kind, which relates key information (code information) to image data of image files, is generally aimed at finding a target image by inputting key information in a retrieval operation performed by a retrieval system. On the other hand, there has also been known a system having a function for retrieving and looking through (named as xe2x80x9cbrowsingxe2x80x9d) the target image by sequentially displaying the images recorded in the image database into the display device. The system of this kind is aimed at finding the target image by a visual judgment of an operator by displaying the image at every frame in addition to the retrieval based on key information.
In the above-mentioned former system, it is impossible to find the target object through the retrieval operation without operations of systematizing and inputting key information. However, these operations require considerable effort. Especially, as to the image data in the digital camera, it needs to input key information in a photographing operation (because these may be forgotten unless inputted immediately), but this operation is generally troublesome, and besides, users may let the shutter chance slip away while inputting the key information.
In the above-mentioned latter system, the system practically and exactly finds the target image in the browsing operation for several dozens of image data. However, as to increased numbers of image data, the system takes a great deal of time to browse, which is inefficient and impractical. Especially in the digital camera which eliminates the need for processing of developing, printing, and enlarging, users usually take greater numbers of photographs compared in the case of a camera using a film, so that number of image data tends to increase.
The present invention is made to dissolve the problems as noted above. One object of the present invention is to provide an image display device wherein images are displayed frame by frame for looking through without a trouble of assigning key information to image data of image files, which easily and efficiently finds a target image even for increased numbers of image data.
In order to attain the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, an image display device for reproducing a plurality of images based on image data recorded in a recording medium, comprises: a mode selector which makes a selection of browsing mode in which contracted images of said images are sequentially reproduced; and, a controller which carries out a control so as to shorten display time for each frame of said contracted images when a number of said images is judged to be large in said browsing mode.
According to further aspect of the present invention, an image display device for reproducing a plurality of images based on image data recorded in a recording medium, comprises: a mode selector which makes a selection of browsing mode in which partial images of said images are sequentially reproduced, and; a controller which carries out a control so as to decrease a size of the part selected as said partial image when the number of said images is judged to be large in said browsing mode.